Who isn’t looking for a little extra cash at the holidays? An offer for an easy – and fun – job could seem like just what you need. That’s the email offer I got from a major retailer (or so it said) last week:
Who isn’t looking for a little extra cash at the holidays? An offer for an easy – and fun – job could seem like just what you need. That’s the email offer I got from a major retailer (or so it said) last week:

“Holidays are coming we need you in our team. We are hiring holiday shoppers. No experience needed, just an honest opinion. The job requires you to shop and evaluate our employees. You will get paid to shop and keep the products.”

While there are legit mystery shopper jobs out there, we almost never see them in offers that show up in your inbox. Or in the classified ads. Or on telephone poles. Or on your phone.
So, before you apply, here are some things to think about:

Don’t click on links in unexpected emails, which could be phishing for your money or personal information. Or both.

Never pay for access to a job, a directory of shopping jobs, or any kind of certification to work as a mystery shopper. Legit companies pay you to work for them; they don’t charge you.

Don’t wire money or send a prepaid debit card to a stranger. Ever. For any reason.

If you’re still curious, do some research. Contact the company directly. Find their information online through your own search, not by following a link from the email.

Read more about mystery shopping, and if you spot a scam, please tell us. Because you know who’s definitely looking for a little extra cash – preferably yours? Scammers.
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The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is the nation’s consumer protection agency. The FTC works to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices in the marketplace.

There should be more TV commercials for preventing identity theft—it’s nearly epidemic. But also epidemic is the lack of identity security that people have when traveling. Here are some ways to avoid having your identity stolen while traveling:There should be more TV commercials for preventing identity theft—it’s nearly epidemic. But also epidemic is the lack of identity security that people have when traveling. Here are some ways to avoid having your identity stolen while traveling:

Prior to leaving for your trip, clean out your purse and wallet. Figure out what you really need for the trip, then bring only those items.

Contact the post office to put your mail on vacation hold.

Get a home-screen-locking password for your smartphone.

Equip your computer devices with encryption software.

Your smartphone should have lock/locate/wipe software.

Bring your driver’s license with you even if you don’t plan on driving anywhere, for ID; don’t rely on your passport alone. The driver’s license and international ID should have online backups made.

When using public Wi-Fi (even in your hometown), use only WEP, WPA and WPA2 networks, and visit only the sites that have the padlock symbol and “https” before their URLs. That’s how you know they are secure.

Arrange to have enough cash with you to make the majority (if not all) of your travel purchases. Avoid using a debit card because if it gets compromised, you won’t be able to get reimbursed.

Back up your data prior to leaving and every day when away. Prior to your trip and during, make sure to have local and cloud backup set up on your devices. Cloud backup such as Carbonite will update your data based on custom settings as frequently as you require.

Even if you have encryption software, avoid financial transactions when using the hotel’s computer. The person using it after you could be a skilled cyber thief, or the person before you could have plugged a keylogger into the computer.

Avoid isolated ATM kiosks. Use those only inside a bank. Shield your fingers when using the keypad. Promptly destroy the receipts.

Never give private information over the phone to hotel staff. The “staff” could be a thief posing as an employee. When personal information is involved, always deal face to face at the front desk.

Any documents or paperwork with private information should be locked inside your hotel room’s safe at all times unless in use.

Give your phone number out only to service personnel who absolutely need it.

Have your credit put on freeze status (unless you plan on applying for a loan very soon).

You take your car to the mechanic; it’s been making a funny grinding noise when you press on the gas pedal. The mechanic tells you what’s wrong and what needs to be fixed, then socks you with the estimate.You take your car to the mechanic; it’s been making a funny grinding noise when you press on the gas pedal. The mechanic tells you what’s wrong and what needs to be fixed, then socks you with the estimate.
How can you tell he’s not embellishing a lot of the “diagnosis”? You know nothing about cars. You have to take his word for it. What if the second opinion is also from a scammer and sounds a lot like the first opinion? You’re screwed.
An article at carbuying.jalopnik.com describes five auto repair scams.
Charging for repairs you don’t need.

The mechanic says he fixed the problem.

The problem still persists.

You take the car back and he “diagnoses” the “real” problem and fixes that.

The problem still exists.

The game repeats but finally the issue is corrected, but you get charged for the first two “repairs,” which never had to be made in the first place. The mechanic scammed you, and this is illegal.

Saying something is wrong when it’s not.

What an easy way for a mechanic to make money and get away with it, especially if the “something wrong” is a small repair. He can really clean up if he pulls this stunt on dozens of customers.

A version of this is to find something out of place or not working optimally and tell you it needs to be replaced—even though a repair will fix the problem.

This is illegal in many states.

Overcharging for parts or labor.

It’s so easy for a mechanic to do this. How do you know that the four-hour job wasn’t really a two-hour job?

Do you know how much a shock absorber or new brakes should cost?

Though prices for the same product vary from one shop to the next, consider yourself scammed when the charge is way over the norm.

You also shouldn’t pay a mechanic for his inexperience. If he honestly took four hours to do a job that should have taken two hours, you should not be charged for the extra two hours.

Get a price and labor estimate before authorizing the work. AND GET IT IN WRITING.

Theft

Yes, mechanics have been known to steal valuables including performance features of the vehicle. Even taking a candy bar is illegal.

The shop may tell you to file an insurance claim. They’re scamming you because this isn’t how it should work. Since they had possession of your car, the onus is on them that something is missing.

Don’t leave valuables in your car.

Joyriding

In your car, that is.

After the work is completed, the mechanic takes your wheels for a spin.